While opinions on Microsoft's Xbox One continue to drop, PlayStation keeps making headway in the rivalry between the two next generation consoles. With Sony finally unveiling how the PlayStation Plus network will work for PS4, it would seem even when the company is delivering bad news, it comes off as making the console look good.
The biggest PR negative for the PS4 is the fact that online multiplayer will require a $50-per-year PlayStation Plus subscription. The company says this will allow them to "invest significantly" in PlayStation Network to help lower downtime and improve its performance according to VideoGamer.com
"It is time to change, but it is time to change and still continue to deliver phenomenal value," SCEE UK & Ireland MD Fergal Gara told VideoGamer.com during E3. "A PlayStation Plus subscriber for PlayStation 4 comes away with a hell of a lot. First of all, the subscription applies across all three platforms [PS4, PS3 & PS Vita], so if you have the three platforms then you have an instant game collection on all three. So that's hugely powerful in its own right. But it is true to say that the online multiplayer element for PS4, you do require the subscription in order to [make use] of that."
For the more frugal PlayStation 4 user who doesn't want to pay for the Plus subscription, Sony promises he or she won't be missing out on too much. Users can still access online catch-up TV and online movie services like Netflix without subscribing. The social features of PS4 and PS4 games sit outside the subscription gate as well. Auto updates for games are free for non-subscribers too. In other words, the subscription to PlayStation Plus is a necessary part of your gaming experience, but not your PS4 experience.
The PlayStation Plus value seems much better when compared to the Xbox One's current system that hides almost all online features, including TV and movie streaming behind a more expensive Xbox Live subscription.
